Family Research Council Applauds HHS's Proposed Rule on Gender Identity, Abortion

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May 24, 2019, 14:48 ET

WASHINGTON, May 24, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Earlier today, the Department of Health and Human Services proposed a rule that would revise 2016 provisions of Obamacare Section 1557 rule that had redefined discrimination "on the basis of sex" to include gender identity and termination of pregnancy.

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins released the following statement:

"We applaud the Department of Health and Human Services for correcting an Obama era injustice. Three years ago, the Obama administration issued a rule out of thin air that redefined 'sex discrimination' to include 'gender identity' and 'pregnancy termination.' The courts soon blocked the far-reaching rule that would have mandated federally funded health care providers offer services like sex change operations and even abortion.

"Sex is not subjective, it is an objective biological reality. Medical professionals would have been punished under Obamacare for recognizing this fact. Gender transition procedures are not fully embraced within the medical community because of their severe, negative, psychological, and physical impacts. The Obama rule failed to recognize the many unintended consequences to patients -- particularly those identifying as transgender. For example, men and women often get different doses of medications and even different ones altogether. If doctors don't know the biology of their patient, the results can be tragic.

"The rule proposed today helps protect health care providers from being forced to participate in and perform services that substantially violate their consciences. Family Research Council fully supports these revisions to ensure Obamacare isn't used as a vehicle to advance transgender or abortion politics," concluded Perkins.

SOURCE Family Research Council